1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stand assembly system for supporting an optical device over an extended footprint that covers any desired size and at a spaced distance from a stand supporting surface. More particularly, the invention is directed to a versatile stand assembly that may be used for close-up photography over an extended distance with an adjustable lens camera.
2. Background Description
This invention comprises an improvement on my stand assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,077 in that the support base member is an elongated bar material that may be of any length so as to extend the assembly footprint to cover any desired size. All the advantages of the previous camera stand are associated with the camera stand assembly of this invention. Additional advantages will be understood once details of the invention and the prior art are understood.
3. State of Prior Art
Various stand assemblies for mounting a camera that may be laterally moved along a beam or parallel rails are known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 765,980 ('980); 2,403,892 ('892); 2,667,825 ('825); 2,794,612 ('612); 3,614,047 ('047); 5,752,113 ('113); and 6,231,017 ('017) each discloses a mechanism for fixing a camera or cameras at variable positions along an elongated structure. Patent '980 depicts a stereoscopic camera system comprising two (2) cameras adjustably and fixedly connected to a slide bar at variable distances from the center thereof. Patent '892 discloses a long, narrow beam having a support block with a tripod screw to which a camera is attached. The camera can be elevated by telescoping tube legs or positioned a given working distance using fixed length legs.
Patent '825 discloses a camera mounted to slidingly move in a first axis along parallel rails of a frame element that is adjustable in a second axis along the length of a pair of parallel rods. Patent '612 depicts a portable camera stand having a camera engaging member pivotally mounted to a supporting plate disposed on a rod that is slidably received in a sleeve. Means adjustably move the rod up and down to position a camera at a desired vertical height. Patent '047 discloses a camera stand including a base element having at opposite ends thereof a pair of pivotally mounted legs wherein each pair pivots individually. The mounted camera may be rotatably and longitudinally moved along and fixed in various positions on elongated base elements.
Patent '113 discloses a panoramic indexing camera mount that includes elongated arms having grooves in which thumb screws operate to loosen and tighten camera carrying brackets to move and adjust camera position along the length of the elongated arms. The camera is mounted on a tripod for panoramic rotation. Patent '017 discloses a camera mount bar for supporting video equipment in which an elongated bracket supports a pivotally mounted camera and a video image display. The bracket position is adjustable along the length of the camera mount bar.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,538,910 ('910); 2,713,609 ('609); and 3,598,355 ('355) disclose known movie and television cameras driven along rails. Patent '910 discloses a television and photography system for race tracks wherein cameras are mounted on a carriage that moves along parallel tracks. Patent '609 discloses a camera support rail structure with four (4) legs. Two (2) carriages are mounted to ride in perpendicular directions with respect to each other on two (2) pairs of parallel rails. Patent '355 depicts a camera dolly mounted on a frame having a pair of spaced-apart parallel rails carried on adjustable height leg supports. Intended for use underwater, the dolly carries a motion picture camera and rolls lengthwise of the rails.